SAN DIEGO COUNTY PERSPECTIVE : Endorsements for Supervisor

With the county mired in seemingly endless budget crises and scored by the county grand jury for losing millions of dollars annually to welfare fraud, it is difficult to remember a time when San Diego County government was more ripe for change.

All the contenders for the open seats on the Board of Supervisors promise a shake-up. But only two are up to the task.

In District 2, the race is a face-off between Santee Mayor Jack Doyle and Dianne Jacob, former chief of staff to outgoing Supervisor George Bailey.

Doyle has campaigned as an official who created 8,000 jobs in Santee. But he is taking undue credit for the inevitable movement of businesses lured by the relatively inexpensive land in East County. The Political Action Committee of the Santee Chamber of Commerce endorsed Jacob.

Jacob’s seven-year tenure in Bailey’s office gives her a unique understanding of county government. And she has used it to produce a detailed proposal that could save the county $100 million without gutting current services. That impressive knowledge gives her the edge.

The Times endorses Dianne Jacob for supervisor in District 2.

The District 3 race is a showdown between San Diego City Councilwoman Judy McCarty and Encinitas City Councilwoman Pam Slater. Slater is running as an environmentalist, citing her successful battle against county plans to build a trash incinerator in North County. But her total opposition to such facilities isn’t something to be admired. Being inflexible on this issue could make it even more difficult for the board finally to approve a new North County landfill.

McCarty has a more pragmatic approach. She agrees that environmentally sound trash-to-energy plants are a legitimate option. She would support the technology, if voters are given a chance to support it as well.

That’s not an anti-environment stance. In fact, McCarty was a leader in establishing the city’s nationally praised curbside recycling program. That’s the kind of proven leadership the board needs.

The Times endorses Judy McCarty for supervisor in District 3.